Electrical contact devices



Sept. 11, 1962 J. R. AYMAR 3,054,083

ELECTRICAL CONTACT DEVICES Filed Sept. 24, 1957 INVENTOR 22 JULIAN ROBERT AYMAR ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 11, 1962 3,054,083 ELECTRICAL (IQNTACT DEVICES Julian Robert Ayniar, 2018 E. 67th St, Brooklyn 34, N.Y. Filed Sept. 24, 1957, Ser. No. 685,962 1 Claim. (Cl. 339-413) This invention relates to a contact device and refers, more particularly, to an electrical contact device, wherein a receptacle arranged for receiving a plug to complete an electrical circuit connection is maintained within an insulating housing device.

Practical experience has shown that faulty electrical connections are ofttimes traced to the structural features of the receptacle or jack itself. Although the electrical circuit leads may be firmly soldered to their respective connections, the contact between the plug and bore of the receptacle had been found to be loose and insecure. Numerous attempts have been made to design expedients so as to provide for a more proper and effective contact. However, all said prior attempts did not yield a thoroughly satisfactory solution of this problem.

It is an object, therefore, of the present invention to provide a greater degree of effectiveness in the electrical contact made between a plug and jack.

Another object is to provide greater durability in a novel structural contact device constituting the receptacle and insulating housing device of the present invention.

Yet another object of the present invention resides in the provision of means maintaining a more stabilized connection and durable structure between the insulating housing device of the present invention and the electrical appliance wherein the novel electrical contact device may be used.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following specification.

In the attainment of the aforesaid objective, the inventive concept of the present invention may be realized through the provision of an electrical contact device which is constituted of a non-conducting tubular housing made of an insulating material, such as rubber or plastic or the like, and an elongated contact or jack carried concentrically Within the bore ofthe tubular housing.

The non-conducting tubular housing may be provided with a bore having a uniform diameter except for a constricted internal bore portion near one end of the threaded, longitudinal tubular portion. The constricted bore portion is significantly smaller in diameter than the diameter of the adjacent bore. It is apparent that the constricted bore portion will eifectively retain a full-round barrel insert within its housing bore upon subsequent Withdrawal of the plug from the bore of the barrel insert.

A permanent connection between the contact or barrel insert and the housing is maintained. Insertion or withdrawal of the plug from the bore of the contact prevents concurrent withdrawal or loosening of the contact within the confines of the tubular housing.

This structural feature is attained through the provision of a constricted portion near one end of the contact or barrel insert and circumscribing its axis transversely. This type of barrel insert may be a spring type insert for accommodating a solid type plug. Its sleeve may be constituted of two inwardly directed side walls diametrically opposed to each other.

The contact is provided with an elongated slot having a wider portion adjacent the lead so as to provide a greater degree of resiliency and to engage the barrel insert within the housing more securely.

At the outermost end of one slotted end portion may be integrally connected thereto a lead portion to connect a lead which may be subsequently soldered thereto in the usual known manner.

In this device, a spring-type or banana plug may be inserted within the bore of the contact or barrel insert. The full-round sleeve of the insert maintains a constant, permanent contact between its contiguously disposed walls and the plug.

It will become apparent from this construction that the constricted ring portion near one end of the insert is cor respondingly engaged by an aligned ring portion of the recessed end type of barrel which coincides structurally to the contours of its respective insert.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claim, it bein understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claim.

A fuller understanding of the present invention may be had by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an example of the physical embodiment of the invention and the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the non-conducting housing of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the spring-type barrel contact.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view showing the integral spring-type barrel contact during one stage of its fabrication.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral =10 indicates the novel electrical contact device embodying the principles of the present invention. The electrical contact device 10 is substantially constituted of a recessed end nonconducting housing 11 which is illustrated in FIGURE 1. A longitudinal tubular threaded portion 12 is integrally connected to a shorter cylindrical ring portion 13. The base '14 of the shorter cylindrical ring portion 13 has a conical portion '15 to accommodate more conveniently the plug which is inserted therein. A bore 16 communicates with each end 17 and '18 of the housing 11. Near one end 18 of the bore 16 is disposed concentrically a constricted bore portion :19.

A spring-type contact 20, as shown in FIGURE 2, is structurally constituted of an elongated tubular portion 21. A base 22 is integrally formed at one end 23 thereof and another end 24 has a slot (not shown) disposed on one side of the tubular portion 21. The slot continutes to form a narrower slot. The slots are formed when the barrel insert takes the shape of a cylindrical tube at the final stage of its fabrication.

A lead connector 32 is integrally formed with one end portion 24 as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

The spring-type insert 20 is inserted into the bore 16 of the housing 11 as shown in FIGURE 1. The frictional engagement of the ring 19 disposed within the bore 16 near one end of the contact housing 11 permits one to withdraw or insert a plug freely Within the bore of the receptacle or insert 20 which great ease and without fear of damaging the contact or causing permanent disengagement or damage to the housing from the chassis or electrical appliance wherein the novel contact device is used. As is apparent from the construction illustrated in FIGURE 3, the insulating, non-conducting housing permits the lead connector 32, to extend outwardly pro- 3 jecting from the confines of the housing bore at one end thereof.

The housing is made to accommodate the spring type barrel insert shown in FIGURE 2. The tubular portion 21 of the spring type barrel insert 20 as shown in FIGURE 9 is further constituted of at least two Windows or apertures 21a, slots 21b and bent portions 210.

The assembly of the receptacle device is apparent from the above description. If, by way of example, the user desires to assemble a receptacle device consisting of the non-conducting housing 11 (FIG. 1) and conducting contact 20 (FIG. 3), he will proceed to manufacture the housing 11 by casting, drilling and turning, or by any other convenient means. The contact 20 is first stamped to form a flat sheet illustrated in FIG. 9. This sheet is rolled tightly and introduced into the inner bore 16 of the housing 11 (FIG. 1) and is shaped therein by any suitable means to assume the form shown in FIG. 3. It is apparent that the windows 21a will be located upon the surfaces of the inner constricted bore portion 19 of the housing 11, thereby facilitating the shaping of the portions of the contact located between the windows, to the outlines of the constricted bore portion 19, while the slots 21b facilitate the shaping of the constricted portion 210 shown in FIG. 3. It is apparent that a longitudinal slot is formed by the opposed longitudinal edges of the sheet shown in FIG. 9, after the sheet has been shaped to assume the form shown in FIG. 3. The use of a longitudinal slot having a narrower portion and Wider portion was found to be most effective, since slot portions of different widths will exert different spring actions upon a plug inserted into the contact. It was found to be most desirable that the body portion of the plug be engaged more tightly due to the provision of the narrow slot portion, than the end portion of the plug which is located opposite the wider slot portion.

Operation and installation of the electrical contact device of the present invention and the procedure of connecting the electrical circuit leads are, obviously, apparent from the foregoing description.

From the foregoing description, together with the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that this invention provides a contact structure which is economical to manufacture and which enables the user to achieve a maximum degree of effectiveness between contact provisions.

Another very important advantage of the present invention is that the firm and durable connection created between the contacting parts affords greater economy of replacement parts and maintenance.

Ease of assembly at minimized cost is also another salient feature of the present invention.

While there is above disclosed but one embodiment of the structure of the invention herein presented, it is possible to produce still other embodiments without departing from the inventive concept herein disclosed, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations be imposed on the appended claim as are described.

What is claimed is:

An electrical contact receptacle for a spring type plug, said receptacle comprising a non-conducting housing having a tubular portion, said tubular portion having an outer threaded surface, and a cylindrical ring portion shorter than and integral with said tubular portion, said cylindrical ring portion having a larger outer diameter than said tubular portion and having inner conical side walls enclosing an inner space adjacent the outer end of said ring portion, said tubular portion and said ring portion having an inner bore of substantially uniform diameter extending from said inner space to the outer end of said tubular portion, said tubular portion having an inner constricted bore portion of smaller inner diameter than that of said inner bore and located adjacent to but spaced from said outer end of the tubular portion; a conducting spring type contact adapted to fit within said housing and having substantially cylindrical end portions and a substantially cylindrical intermediate portion of equal diameter, said contact having other constricted portions extending between said end portions and said intermediate portion, one of said constricted portions being longer than the other, said contact having a longitudinal slot extending from end to end thereof with a portion of said slot adjacent one end of said contact being narrower than at the other end, said contact'fnrther having other slots which are shorter than said longitudinal slot and which extend adjacent and parallel to said narrower portion thereof, said other slots extending in said contact in the constricted portion thereof of greater length, and window openings extending in said contact in the constricted portion thereof of lesser length, and a lead connector integral with said contact and extending outwardly from one end thereof; said contact fitting within said housing with the cylindrical end portions and cylindrical intermediate portion of said contact engaging the walls of the inner bore of said housing, the constricted portion of said contact of lesser length engaging the inner constricted bore portion of said housing, said lead connector of said contact extending out of said housing at the end opposite the cylindrical ring portion thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

